


Double Down

by Karieauthoress (ksrandomme), ksrandomme



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-08
Updated: 2010-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-18 09:07:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksrandomme/pseuds/Karieauthoress, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksrandomme/pseuds/ksrandomme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A couple takes a gamble on their love life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Double Down

  


 

 

Carolyn Ellison pedaled her way through another mile as she watched her husband, James J Ellison, make his weary way across the gym to her side. It didn’t look like it had been a good day for her husband of four years. She continued to pedal as she waited for him to drape his 6 foot 3 inch frame across the nearest weight bench. Alex expected her to finish off this 10 mile pace before stopping for the day and she still had 2 more miles to go.

 

Jim stretched out on the semi-reclining bench and took up the flex bar that hung above his head. Carolyn watched him for a moment, his big muscles rippling as he flexed and drew the bar down, moving the weight behind him. After his first set of 12, Carolyn looked down and noticed she had only a mile left to ride the bike. She smiled and began to slowly pace the cycle a bit so she could stretch her muscles. 

 

Finally, Carolyn finished her ride and Jim was resting between sets. Thinking this was a good time to talk, the husband and wife glanced around the room together, noted that it was rather empty and silent, and nodded at each other. Carolyn made her way over to Jim and sat on a nearby chair, her eyes slipping closed and her head falling back on her rolled towel. “Okay, give it to me straight. How bad was it today?”

 

Jim snorted as he wiped his own towel down his chest. “Well things were going just fine until your dad showed up to have lunch with *my* dad and me.”

 

Carolyn groaned, “Oh God. Tell me it was a nice, quiet affair? Maybe having to do with you and me taking a weeklong vacation in, say Hawaii?”

 

“No soap, Caro. It was the *issue* 'issue’ again.” Caro made a face and Jim sighed as he stood to check the weight on his machine. Going back to where he'd started Jim went back to the bench to do another set or two. Carolyn nodded distractedly as she reached over to her bag and pulled a bottle of water out for the both of them to share.

 

“Are they ever going to understand us, Jimmy?” she asked as she reclined on the chair again and watched the room. Jim shrugged as he began his third set of 12 reps. She knew the answer as well as he did. Their parents wanted nothing to do with their uniqueness; they saw Jim and Carolyn as pawns in their little game. And this latest bid for the next step was nothing new.

“I don’t want to have a kid right now, Jimmy, I like things the way they are.” Carolyn pouted. It wasn't like Caro to whine and pout, but this thing with their fathers arguing and this whole marriage to Jim - it was just too much. “I mean, can you imagine you and me having a kid?”

 

Jim paused, his face thoughtful as he let the bar he was using swing free. “Well, I think that was the main idea of putting us together. You know – you woman, me man, we make baby to carry on legacy – making the dads happy?”

 

Carolyn rolled her eyes, “Yeah I get that but... can you see me fat? I mean, UGH! Talk about ugly and weighted down and tired all the time! If we have kids for this sham of a marriage, the least I would like is to be able to enjoy it. And that’s not now!”

 

“As for the being fat, I can’t see you looking anything but beautiful as a pregnant lady.” Jim smirked, “And anyway, with the way Alex keeps you in shape, you’d have your figure back in no time.”

 

Caro sighed with a happy grin. Yes the celebratory sex alone would have her shedding a couple pounds immediately. She was about to say something to the effect when Jim sighed and looked away. Canting her head to the side, she reached over and patted his knee. “What’s going through that great mind of yours?”

 

“I was just thinking,” Jim sighed, “Even if we have a kid together, there’s no guarantee we’d be allowed to raise it. I’m certain that my dad and yours will put in together for a Nanny and Boarding school and Military school, or College or whatever. The most we will be lucky to get is holidays and birthdays.”

 

Carolyn snorted derisively, “They can try, but they will fail. When I have kids, they will be mine to raise, not some Nanny. Besides, can you imagine Alex’s reaction to someone else getting their hands on offspring of mine, or yours?”

 

Jim grinned as he pointed to the door, “I can imagine, but why don’t we ask?”

 

Carolyn glanced over her shoulder and froze. Damn, what a mouth watering sight!

Long, powerful legs that supported a sleekly toned body, muscles clearly rippling under the smooth and tanned skin. The sensual promise of the gorgeous body easily visible to the naked eye by virtue of the clinging fabric it was clad in. And the owner of this bounty was stalking towards the couple, in a gliding stride that immediately brought to mind a predator prowling. Destination attained, a quick toss of a long blond ponytail showed off the elegant lines of neck, face and jaw. The jaw that Caro's hand instantly went to and cupped as the stunning specimen bent down to lightly caress her lips with her own.

  
  


"Hey, Babe," Carolyn whispered in a loving sigh as Alex pulled back again.

"Hey back," Alex answered playfully, then turning to Jim she greeted him as well, just not as intimately.

Smirking Jim motioned for Alex to pay attention to Caro who was pouting again. Then he turned away.

 

Now, watching his wife kiss another woman passionately, especially when she was the tall, luscious, blond Alex Barnes could be uncomfortable for some men - for differing reasons - but that wasn't the case with Jim. He was just giving them a modicum of privacy and keeping an eye out in order to assure them of it.

 

He didn't turn back to them until he heard them separate and Alex ask Carolyn, "So Lover, what was with that pouty look on your face when I came in? I thought I was the only one who was able to get that face from you."

 

Jim snorted, "Well you know she isn't my type so it wasn't for the same reason!"

 

Before Carolyn could answer the gym trainer/massage therapist/artist turned her attention to Jim just as he winced, and frowned. “That does not look good James. Here let’s get the kinks out before you do anymore.”

 

Jim nodded and moved to a flatter bench that allowed for Alex to begin working out the kinks and knots in his shoulders and neck. Within minutes he was practically a puddle of goo and Carolyn had filled Alex in on the state of affairs for the Ellison/Plummer household.

 

While Jim took his time sitting back up and beginning to pull a few more reps under Alex’s watchful eye, Alex muttered about the closed-mindedness of the older generations. “I swear, what do they want with an heir? If they want a kid, why don’t they pool their money for a surrogate and donate their own damn sperm?”

 

Jim sputtered, nearly losing the bar once while Carolyn sat gaping. Finally she was able to recover, “I am not telling my father that!”

 

She looked at Jim who shrugged and went back to pulling the bar. “Personally I think it’s perfect, but until they manage to reenergize the old man’s semen, we are out of luck on that score.”

 

Carolyn rolled her eyes and gazed back at Alex, “I know we had a plan for dealing with this, but I’m afraid they’re getting restless. The business is working well now and I think the old farts are afraid that they will kick off and we will split up before we give them someone ‘perfect’ to pass the family money on to.”

 

Alex nodded, “Yes I know, and we had this plan set the night you both shared your wedding vows and we three slipped off to the Bahamas together. I still think the plan is sound, we just might have to do something about the timetable.”

 

Jim finished his set and leaned forward, “Look, we can’t just go out on a whim and pick some guy for me to be happy with. It’s not that simple. You and Carolyn had been together three months before she and I got married. Anyone we find would first have to appeal to me and my tastes, then he would have to be happy with the arrangement we three have, and finally he would have to be willing to help us have a kid. Now, I don’t know about women but not all men are willing to just roll over and let someone else take care of them with the promise of forever after only one night.”

Alex nodded, her eyes unfocused in thought. “Perhaps...” she snapped back to them moments later and stood up quickly. “Look, I have to pick up a friend at the airport, that’s actually why I came by. I’ll see if I can bring him along and we can play double date tonight, what do you say?”

 

Jim’s lids slid to half-mast while Carolyn bubbled over with happiness. “Yeah that works for us, doesn’t it Jimmy?”

 

“Tuesday night, Caro. Antonio’s at 8pm, remember?” Jim sighed as he stood and stretched his arms out. After a moment he turned back to the two women, “Yeah, okay Alex. Bring the guy along. We’ll just try to keep the personal talk to a minimum, right?”

Alex grinned and reached over to kiss Jim on the cheek. She bent and kissed Carolyn on the lips and turned for the showers, “No sweat James. I can behave in public.”

 

Jim chuckled as he glanced back at Carolyn, “I wish she didn’t have to behave. It’d be fun to be able to let her cut loose once in a while.”

 

Carolyn stood to join him and hugged him tightly, “One day, my friend. One day.”

 

o-O-o

 

Alex pulled into the passenger pick up lane and searched the crowd for her friend. It was only moments later that she found him, slumped shoulders and drooping head, his dark, thick hair hanging to cover his face. “Oh Blair...”

 

She quickly pulled him out of the crowd, shoved him into the passenger side of the Suzuki tracker that was her vehicle, and tossed his bags in the back before sliding back into the driver’s side and pulling away from the curb. When they were a reasonable distance from the chaos that was Cascade International, she reached over and took his hand.

“Hey there, Handsome,” she called softly. Her friend, Blair Sandburg, flopped his head back on the headrest of his seat, canting to the side to look over at her.

 

“Thanks Alex, you don’t know how much it means to me that I could pick up the phone and know you were there.” He squeezed her hand gently and then released it so that she could drive. Alex mourned the loss, but only for a moment.

 

“Any time, Babe. You want to tell me what happened?” she asked delicately.

 

Blair snorted, “Heh, well where do you want me to start? Maybe I can tell you about the guy that promised me the world and managed to get me in his bed? Or how about I tell you about how said guy was a world renowned professor in Anthropology and said I had potential, wanting me to join him on the trip of a lifetime? Then I can tell you about how the perfect dream turned into a farce when the professor in question took all my research and put his name to it, cutting me out of the credit. This was only after we realized that the permits we had been given had been fakes and we were kicked out of the country without so much as a by-your-leave.”

 

Alex’s fingers tightened their grip on the steering wheel as she clicked the turn signal to get on the freeway. “Sounds like someone was playing you for a chump,” she muttered darkly.

 

“Yeah,” Blair agreed, “Hey Alex, mind if we head for the University? I need to know if I still have a job in this town.”

 

She nodded and entered the freeway heading for Rainier University. Blair fell silent as they travelled, seeming to fall asleep while Alex drove. When she exited the freeway, he came awake, shifting in his seat and pulling his hair back while he yawned. Obviously it had been some time since Blair had slept last. 

 

Arriving at the university, Blair directed her towards the parking lot outside of Hargrove hall. She went with him to the reception desk and stood by while he asked for any messages. The battleaxe behind the counter glared over her thick rimmed glasses and seemed to regard Blair with an air of disdain. Her crisp delivery greeting Blair back gave Alex the feeling that Blair was not high on the woman’s list. “Mr. Sandburg, it’s about time you showed up. I was told to have your things packed and out of Dr. Farnsworth’s office immediately.”

 

Blair blinked. Alex was also a little stunned when one of the little girls behind the desk brought out two boxes and thumped them down on the desk. Madam Battleaxe indicated the boxes with her hands and said shortly, "Here are your things, you are asked to come back and speak with your dissertation committee in a month to make a new plan of action. Until that time, your requested sabbatical is still in effect and there are no current openings in the teaching staff.”

 

Blair, who was obviously confused and more than a bit stunned, held up a hand and said, "Whoa, whoa, wait. Mrs. Loffler, where are the artifacts? The books? My notes?”

Now Madam Battleaxe, er, Loffler's demeanor softened visibly towards Blair as she sighed and rested a hand on one of the boxes. In one instance she as hard as nails and twice as gruff with the young man, but in the next, she was treating him as if he were one of her grandkids. “Blair dear, I’m sorry. Farnsworth was specific over the phone. All the artifacts that you appropriated for research have been returned, as have the books, and all fees have been posted to your account. As for your notes... only the ones pertaining to your Sentinel dissertation are in here along with the monograph and your journals.”

  
  


Blair opened the boxes and made a quick look through, coming up with a sigh of relief as Loffler continued, “I packed them myself, son. I wasn’t about to let them get into the wrong hands. In fact, if you hadn’t shown up soon, I was going to call Dr. Oldham and ask his personal opinion where to store these until you made it back.”

 

“I just stepped off the plane,” Blair confirmed. “When does Dr. Farnsworth arrive back in Cascade?”

 

Mrs. Loffler growled as she removed her hand, “He got back two days ago.”

 

And that was the last blow. Alex could see in every line of Blair’s body that he was exhausted and frustrated. The man he had trusted with his research had not even been concerned with the younger man arriving home in any timely manner. Alex would bet even money that Blair had paid for his ticket himself.

 

“Come on, Blair, let’s get going. No need to take up any more of this wonderful woman’s time.” Alex grabbed the nearest box and headed back the way they had come. Blair scrambled after her, the other box held in his shaking hands. Alex got them both into the Suzuki and back on the road. 

 

When Blair had had a couple of minutes to compose himself, he turned to Alex to make another request. “Can you take me home?”

 

Alex nodded and followed his directions towards the warehouse district. Another block and suddenly she began to recognize landmarks and street signs that she was not happy to see. “Blair, what is the address again?”

 

“217 Wharf St. Why?” Blair asked as he looked around. Alex made a negative sound as she pulled over to the side of the road and parked. “Alex, what’s wrong?”

 

Alex turned slightly in her seat and faced Blair as fully as she could. “You don’t want to go down there, Blair. Trust me... it’s not good.”

 

Blair blinked once more, concern showing on his face, “Alex what happened to my home?”

 

Alex sighed. “It was, maybe a week ago? There was a fire. It took out the entire warehouse and damaged a couple of others nearby.”

Blair dropped his head. “Arson?”

 

Alex shook her head, “Drug lab. There was nothing left.”

 

Blair sighed, but said nothing. Of course, Alex knew what he needed right now. So after throwing the car back into gear, she drove them away from the warehouse district and back towards her own apartment. The silence was soothing and relaxing, but it was not Blair’s natural state and Alex worried how her friend was dealing with all of the setbacks that had befallen him within the space of just a week. 

 

Another mile and Alex broke the silence. “So, I’m thinking we go back to my place, freshen up a bit and go out to this place I know that serves some of the best bruschetta in town. What do you say?”

 

Blair took a long time answering, and when he did it was more of a humming rather than actual words. Alex took what she could get and got them home quickly. She had a feeling in her bones that Blair’s streak of bad luck was about to change for the better.

 

o-O-o

 

Blair sat as comfortably as one can on a barstool in a busy restaurant with a headache and a sore back from sitting in an uncomfortable coach seat for nearly eight hours straight. Alex had been nice enough to allow him to borrow the shower so he could get the airport grime off and he was lucky to have some decent clothing in his pack. Not exactly his usual date clothing, but then what did he expect with his home having gone up in smoke.

  
  
  


Now he and Alex were sitting at the bar, apparently waiting for someone, and nursing a couple of domestic beers. Blair watched Alex glance around the room once more before returning to her bottle. Finally he had to ask, “So what’s been going on with you since the last time we hung out?”

 

Alex smiled a great toothy grin that flowed up into her eyes. “Oh not much. I’m working a couple of days a week as a Personal trainer. I’m still painting.”

 

Blair smiled. He remembered Alex’s paintings. They had been full of color and brilliance. And all done with the talent of a natural hand. “And dating? Have you?”

Alex smiled as she ducked her head, her eyes shining. “I’m in a more or less committed relationship now.”

 

Blair felt a lump in his throat at her words. The one last person he could count on to be there for him just because, was with someone else now. Damn, as if things couldn’t get any worse. First his heart, then his job and his home. Now he couldn’t even get laid. Talk about adding insult to injury. Alex must have noticed her words had unnerved him as she reached over and laid a comforting hand over his own. “I’m sorry Blair. But we always said this was more a friendship thing, right?”

 

Blair nodded absently, “Yeah sure. You know, it’s all good. I just – er – didn’t see it coming, is all.”

 

Alex reached out and firmly lifted his chin, forcing him to look at her again. “You didn’t figure I’d find someone, and were hoping for a little sympathy nookie?”

 

Blair flushed at the frank words from his friend, “Yeah well, uh, no. I mean, okay so I liked what we had when we needed it. But you have a life now and I need to find my own way.”

 

“You need someone to love you, Blair. You are such a good man, smart and funny, you need someone who can appreciate you for who you are, not what you can give them.” Alex reached further and tucked a lock of Blair’s hair behind his ear. He had braided it after his shower, but some of it was escaping and he could feel it tickling his chin ever so often. “Blair, if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?”

 

Blair grinned; it was such an Alex question to ask. “Honestly, I don’t know. I think, what I really need, is to not be needed. To be wanted by someone and be cared for without something being expected from me in return.”

 

Alex grinned back but Blair’s grin faded as he sighed, realizing the futility of such a wish. “But there is no way such a guy, or girl, could ever exist.”

 

“You’d be surprised,” Alex said as she grabbed his hand and drew his attention back to the patrons of the restaurant. At the door stood a handsome couple, both with equally happy grins as they greeted Alex and allowed themselves to be introduced to Blair. “Caro, Jim, this is Blair. One time yoga instructor and my best friend in the whole world.”

The woman reached to shake hands and Blair was only too happy to oblige. She looked absolutely stunning in her green gown, and matched well with her husband, the tall, dark handsome man behind her. Blair smiled as he shuffled along with the other three as they swept into the dining room and to the table that was obviously their regular seating for dinner at this particular restaurant.

 

Somewhere in the pit of Blair’s stomach, he felt a twisted knot. Alex’s friends were rich and intimidating. They were so totally unlike anyone that Blair normally hung out with. But the conversation was comfortable, and the bruschetta was indeed world class.

  
  
  


After another half an hour, Blair noticed that Carolyn was locked in conversation with Alex and both women had left Jim and Blair to talk alone. Jim was an interesting man, with many varied interests. Particularly South American culture, basketball, Mayan art and anything that Blair seemed to be interested in talking about. During dinner alone he had told three of his best expedition stories and Jim hadn’t appeared to fall asleep on him.

  
  


Finally, Carolyn tapped the table and Jim turned his attention to the check that was being laid at his elbow. Blair caught a finger to the ribs by Alex and his glance swept over the amount on the receipt. He kept his cool at the hefty amount being paid with no thought at all to the expense.

 

When everything was paid for, Blair helped Alex on with her shawl while Jim helped Carolyn into her coat and they all left the restaurant together to stand on the sidewalk and wait for their cars. Alex turned to Carolyn and Jim and smiled, “Hey, we’ll meet you two back at the hotel, okay?”

 

Carolyn grinned agreement and Jim, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Blair since they had stepped out of the restaurant, nodded agreement as his sedan was brought along side. He handed Carolyn into the passenger seat and grinned back at Alex as he rounded to the driver’s side, “Be careful, Alex.”

 

“I’ll be right there, Jim,” she replied before they drove away. Blair blinked, his mind a bit muddled. He had never had anyone pay so much attention to him before, about anything. It was a weird feeling. Sitting in Alex’s Suzuki, Blair turned sideways to stare at the woman he called one of his best, if not his absolute best friend in the world.

 

“Ok, lady, what have you got up your sleeve?” he charged. She smiled as she raised a bare arm, the sleeveless gown she wore hiding nothing.

 

“Why, Blair, what do you think I could be hiding under there?” she quipped as she put her arm down and turned the vehicle towards downtown Cascade. Blair shut his mouth and attempted to enjoy the ride.

 

o-O-o

 

He was totally and completely entranced by those blue eyes and that long and obviously curly hair that, despite the tight braid the young man had forced it into, was escaping in little wisps that surrounded his face. That perfect, beautiful face with the sexy, full lips that called to him like a siren’s song. 

 

And that voice. Jim could have sat and listened to this man all night, and he very nearly would have had it not been for Carolyn’s intervention when the check arrived. Something in Alex’s expression as she gazed at the check and back to the beautiful angel across the table from him, Blair, made Jim take a long time in actually paying for the meals. No doubt she wanted Blair to see that Jim and Carolyn were well off, but Jim was afraid it would only scare the man off before he’d had a chance.

  
  


“Perfect,” he muttered just loud enough that Carolyn had heard him as she turned to him with a frown on her face.

 

“What was that, Jimmy?”

 

Jim glanced her way and smiled as he reached over and patted her knee. “I was saying that Alex’s young friend Blair was a perfect dinner companion.”

Carolyn smiled with him. “You like him, don’t you?”

 

Jim snorted, “Yeah maybe. He was interesting, and I liked talking with him tonight.”

 

“Oh like you said a single word in that conversation,” Carolyn giggled, “You were so moon-eyed over him it was easy to see. I think Alex has come up with someone who can actually keep your attention for more than five minutes.”

  
  


Jim finished the rest of their drive in silence and Carolyn let him, watching the scenery go by in the pitch dark. Arriving at the hotel without much fanfare, they rode the elevator to the top floor penthouse and walked in, turning on lights and getting comfortable. Carolyn went to make sure the hot tub in her private bath was started before she ducked into Jim’s private bath to do the same while Jim pulled out a couple of glasses to make cocktails for four. He only hoped that Blair came along.

 

Carolyn was just coming out of Jim’s bath when there came a knock on the door. Jim went over to answer it, smiling pleasantly when Alex sailed through with all the grace and elegance of a run-way model. Blair came in behind her, a bit tentatively at first, until Jim reached to take his coat for him. Then the beautiful face cracked into a wide smile and Jim felt glad that Alex had talked this wonderful creature into coming along after all.

 

As soon as the door was closed and locked, Jim turned to an incredibly unexpected sight as Alex had flopped down on the plush couch next to Carolyn and dragged her into a lip-lock to shock the masses. Oh, so this is how they were going to play it. Jim watched for another moment before turning and heading to the bar to make the girls’ drinks. Blair, who had been stunned silent, gradually joined him and asked for a rum and coke.

 

Blair turned to stare at the action on the couch. Jim had to admit it was quite the eye-opener. Alex was holding Carolyn in her arms and they were deeply kissing each other. Their focus was so totally on each other it was as if Jim and Blair had vanished. Finally, with a clearing of the throat from Jim, the girls separated and grinned sheepishly at each other. Carolyn wiped some lipstick that was not hers off the corner of her mouth while Alex stared pointedly at Blair.

 

Jim quietly held his breath. Blair reached back and grabbed the other two drinks, taking them over to Carolyn and Alex, and sitting on the coffee table in front of them. “Okay, explain.”

 

Alex grinned as she took her glass from his hand, sipped it, and then relaxed back into the couch, “Remember I told you I was more or less in a committed relationship?”

 

Blair nodded, “Yeah, but last I checked Carolyn is married.”

 

“Marriage of convenience, Blair,” explained Carolyn. “See, Jim and I have known each other for years, as friends. Grew up in the same social circles, went to the same parties. Our fathers thought it would be a good idea to merge their two companies through a marriage agreement.”

 

Blair canted his head to the side, “Only thing wrong was that, you’re gay.”

 

Carolyn smiled widely, “Actually, both Jim and I are gay. I was already with Alex, and Jim was being thrown into my lap. Alex felt this was the best solution, to a point.”

 

Jim came around the counter and took up a section of the second couch, his face and body as relaxed as he could make it so as not to spook the young man. “To the public, Carolyn and I are the perfectly happy couple. But ever since the wedding it has been the three of us. We usually stay here most nights so that we can have privacy.”

 

“What about your parents? Do they know?” Blair asked with obvious interest. Alex grinned.

 

“Actually their mothers completely understand and their fathers are practically clueless. Eventually Jim and Caro will have a kid and the Dads can then shut up and leave us all alone.”

 

Carolyn and Alex grinned at each other as they watched Blair appear to give this situation some real thought. Jim struggled to keep his emotions in check. He didn’t want to destroy this perfect chance. This was too much like destiny, and Jim was certain that if he could just get Blair to relax, he could at least broach the subject of the two of them without getting his teeth kicked in.

 

“Sounds like a plausible solution for you,” Blair finally said. Jim breathed a near silent sigh of relief at his words. “You have Carolyn, she has you.”

 

Alex nodded, but her eyes told Jim that she was waiting for something more from her friend. It came in Blair’s next words.

 

“What about Jim?”

Carolyn turned her gaze on Alex, who smiled much like the Cheshire cat from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Jim wondered what the woman was up to, but was willing to let her run the show for now. After all, she was Blair’s friend and obviously she had some insight into which buttons to push. With an exaggerated stretch and an all over shiver, Alex yawned and said, “What *about* Jim?”

 

Blair blinked. “Um, well you have each other, and Jim’s all alone? How fair is that, Alex?”

 

Alex grinned, “Actually, we were just waiting for the right guy to come along. Then Jim could have someone to love, just like Carolyn and I."

 

Blair narrowed his gaze as he looked between Carolyn and Alex, with the occasional toss of a glance in Jim’s direction. Finally, Alex must have sensed something, because she was suddenly standing and pulling Carolyn after her. “Jim, I’m tired and I know our girl here wants that back massage I promised her. Why don’t we leave you and Blair here to finish that conversation you were in the middle of at dinner?”

 

Carolyn walked over and kissed Jim on the cheek, smiled at Blair, and headed for her bedroom. Alex grabbed Blair’s hands, hauled him up from the table he had been using as a seat, and kissed him once on the cheek before turning him slightly and pushing him down to land on the couch with Jim. Then she turned around and followed Carolyn into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

 

Jim chuckled softly at the Alpha tactics that Alex had exhibited on Blair. Leave it to the woman to be blunt. With a derisive snort, Jim moved just enough to give Blair more room next to him. “She’s always pretty much like that.”

 

Blair smiled, “Yeah, she was pretty bad when I was working with her.”

 

“Oh?” Jim quirked an eyebrow, “So what were you working with her on?”

 

Blair shuffled around until he was facing Jim, one arm flung across the back of the couch so that he was comfortable. “She was having some trouble with her senses... smell was off, things sounded so loud that she was having headaches all the time. I started meditating with her to help her get some control.”

 

“She said you were a yoga instructor?” Jim asked in clarification. Blair nodded.

 

“That’s how she found me. One of our mutual acquaintances introduced us and I figured it was worth a shot to help her out. After she had control of breathing, we used yoga postures to cleanse her mind and keep her on track while she worked to visualize and control her senses. Worked like a charm!” Blair smiled and Jim was caught again by how beautiful that smile was to him.

 

“I remember her telling me about her troubles after she had come back from mountain climbing. I never knew what she had done to fix it. But it was you, huh?” Jim forced himself to have a normal conversation with the man before he was compelled to jump his bones.

 

“Nah, it was all her. I just showed her the way.” Blair ducked his head, and even that was adorable, warm and sweet. Jim stroked Blair’s arm where it lay on the couch.

 

“You don’t take complements well, do you?” It was an odd question to ask, but something in Blair’s eyes told Jim that this was an important subject. Blair shrugged a shoulder and look back at Jim with a small smile on his face.

 

“Yeah well, I’m working on it. I’ve just had a shitty couple of weeks.” Blair looked around, picked up his glass and took a sip, obviously in an attempt to find something to do. And now that Jim really looked at him, he could see the slump of shoulder, the shadowing of the eyes. This was a man in silent pain, and no one to fix things for him.

 

“Tell me about it?”

 

Blair sighed and reclined against the arm of the couch, “Where to start?”

 

“The beginning?” asked Jim. He tried to project an air of understanding and acceptance, hoping that Blair would open up and let him in. Finally, after a long silence, Blair stared back at him and began his tale of woe.

 

“I thought he loved me. Professor David Farnsworth, anthropologist. I was his research assistant on a pretty big deal out of Africa. He wanted me to personally handle the research, the books and artifacts. He dealt with the business of getting the expedition together. I had to put my own dissertation on hold to deal with his work. But he said he loved me, and that he wanted me. And so I let him have me.” Blair shifted with uncertainty and Jim gently stroked his hand to sooth him. Of course the man would be uncomfortable; he had basically told Jim that he had slept with the other man. Jim simply waited for more of the story.

 

“We hopped over, first class all the way, to Africa. Got down into the jungle where this tribe of tree people was that he wanted to study, and I kept up with the notes. Then all hell broke loose. Government officials came out of nowhere, claimed that the paperwork was all forgery and that we were trespassing. To be nice, they let us walk away with what research and film we had, but we had to leave immediately.

“When we got back to one of the larger cities, Farnsworth sent everyone else home and demanded that I pack up the equipment to be shipped back to Cascade. I asked him what he was tripping about and he just smirked at me. Told me he'd gotten what he'd wanted from me, and that he wished me good luck in getting home. Bastard stole all my notes and left me stranded.” Blair shuddered once, “I managed to fly myself home. I figured I would get on with my life, it’s not as if I needed the man to validate my work or my feelings.”

 

Jim canted his head to the side, “But that wasn’t all?”

 

Blair shook his head, “Alex and I found out that Farnsworth had cut me out of everything. I was without a job and without an office. My dissertation is in the tank right now.” He dropped his head forward and chuckled bitterly, “To top it off, Alex told me my home was gone. Drug lab... gods I was only gone a month!”

Jim felt for the man, every note of dejection that twisted his voice was like a stab to Jim’s emotions. All he wanted to do was pull this poor soul into his arms and hold him, keep him safe. Without further thought, Jim reached out and snagged hold of Blair, pulling him up and around to sit across his lap and wrapped his arms around the shaking shoulders. It was only moments before Blair began to cry.

 

They were the tears of an emotionally battered man who had finally come to the end of his strength. There was nothing wrong with them; it was more a cleansing release. Jim held him throughout and crooned to him softly until Blair caught hold of himself and pulled away slightly. Eyes still bright with tears stared back at Jim’s and he swallowed hard against the lump that suddenly formed in his throat. So beautiful, so perfect.

Jim couldn't stop himself, he didn't even really try if he were to be honest about it, but he had to lean down and rest his lips against that overly warm brow. It was a chaste kiss, and god knows he'd wanted to aim for another target, but he'd known Blair wasn't ready for that. Pulling back again, his eyes were caught by the deep blue eyes looking at him in amazement. 

 

Blair touched his forehead where Jim had comfortingly kissed him and asked mystified, "Why did you do that?"

 

"Because I thought you could use it."

 

Blair's eyes skipped away from Jim's to skate around the room in his sudden nervousness. Jim's gaze, however, never left Blair. He didn't think he would ever be able to get enough of this fascinating man. Finally those luminous eyes settled back on his own and he was enraptured all over again.

 

Blair carefully slid off Jim’s lap, taking his place back on the couch and edging towards the arm, searching for space. "I'm feeling a little off kilter here, man. I mean, jeez, I was sitting on your lap and bawling my eyes out after telling you what's got to be the most pitiful thing you've ever heard - and you're basically a virtual stranger to me."

 

He shut his eyes then and leaned his head back on the couch, breaking the spell he had on Jim. Jim sighed at the loss. Blair’s eyes snapped open to regard him frankly. “Jim, what is going on here?”

 

"Love, lust," Jim said cavalierly as he shrugged. "I don't know, could be either or both. But I know what I'd like to call it - a beginning."

 

"A beginning - to what?"

 

"Well that is what we would have to decide. I know what I think I want. You. Would you believe me if I told you I wanted you only two hours after meeting you?" Jim matched his gaze to Blair’s, daring him to argue.

 

Blair quirked an eyebrow, "Yes, that really isn't that unusual. Unless what you wanted me for is something different than what most others do."

 

Jim chuckled; he really liked Blair's sense of humor. "I think maybe I do want something different, I want to be there *for* you. I want the privilege of caring for you, pampering you, loving you, giving you what you need to heal.”

  
  


He paused for breath, but plunged on with his proposal before Blair could say anything, “Anything your heart desires. You want to go anywhere, we can go. Do anything, we can do. You can stay here as long as you want. I have a fully staffed kitchen with one of the best chefs in town. If he can’t make what you want, I’ll hire one who can.” Jim shifted until he was close enough to breathe into Blair’s shell like ear. “Let me love you, Blair. Let me pamper you. Let me dress you in the latest styles and take you to the trendy places. It would be the four of us, you and me, Caro and Alex.”

 

Blair snorted, “Wow you really know what to say to me right now. All the right words, in the right tone.”

 

Jim shook his head in denial, “I’m serious here, Blair. I want you, I won’t deny it. And deep down, I think we both know you want this too.”

 

Blair shrugged, not agreeing, but nor was he disagreeing with Jim’s assessment. The businessman smiled and said, “How about this, then? I want to take this night and let it be about you. I just want to give you tonight. After that, you can decide if you stay or go. I won’t try to hold you, and if this isn’t what you want, I would still want us to be friends?”

 

Jim held still, feeling as if he was being examined and x-rayed as Blair stared him down, looking for the flaw, searching for the catch, the loop hole. Finally, after a long searching moment, Blair sighed and nodded. “Ok, you have my curiosity piqued.”

 

Leaning against the arm of the couch, arms thrown wide, Blair grinned and challenged, “Do your worst, man.”

 

Jim’s eyes widened at the blatantly sexual pose. God, this man had no idea what kind of power he held over Jim, did he? Jim fought down the surge of lust with pure willpower, and then gently lifted Blair's feet into the cradle of his lap. Pulling off his shoes and then socks, Jim started out his campaign with a foot massage. Before long, he heard groans and sighs coming from the young man as he let go his control, allowing himself to enjoy the moment.

 

When he judged that Blair was as relaxed as one could get, Jim shifted out from under his legs, leaned over him and scooped him up, carrying him to the bathroom. Blair’s head snapped up and stared, shell-shocked, back at Jim. Their eyes met and nothing else needed to be said as Jim prepared to show Blair what being loved was *really* all about.

 

o-O-o

 

Blair was at a loss as they came into Jim’s personal bath. In the center of the floor was a large sunken tub with molded seating inside. The water that swirled around and bubbled steamed from the heat and caused the room to be warm with it. The fireplace in the corner let off another source of heat and Blair felt himself finally relax into it.

 

After first settling Blair on a nearby chaise lounge, Jim went around the bathroom’s many cabinets and pulled out various items, towels and sponges to use. Then when he had them where he wanted them in easy reach, he turned back to Blair and just stared for a moment. Blair stared back, wondering what he was supposed to do next. He was about to make a move when Jim moved first.

 

He started with his silk dress shirt, unbuttoning it from the top and travelling down that muscular chest to his pants. These he flicked open with a twist of his wrist, and a slide of fingers on the unseen zipper. Blair sat entranced and enthralled as Jim stripped out of each and every article of clothing, laying them to the side and posing for Blair after he was totally nude. Adonis had nothing on this body. The gods in the heavens had blessed this boy with *everything* right. Blair’s mouth watered.

 

The classic features of his face matched the sculpted, chiseled lines of the body. Blair could see Alex’s handiwork in keeping that body in shape. Those powerful legs carried him over to where Blair sat in amazement, and he knelt before Blair like a servant before his master. The shiver that shot down Blair’s spine could not be denied. He had never been attended to in this fashion before.

 

Leaning in, Jim stroked back a wisp of hair that obviously had escaped its braid, tucking it behind Blair’s ear. Then holding Blair's eyes with his own, he leaned forward and let his strong mobile lips caress Blair's. Blair gasped with the light touch to his mouth, opening and allowing Jim to take advantage of his surprise. A swift, agile tongue snaked in to steal a taste of Blair's excitement. Just as fast as he had begin, Jim drew back again leaving Blair slightly stunned and panting.

 

Next, Jim reached forward and slowly began to undress Blair, taking off each article of clothing much as he had done for himself. When Blair was as naked as Jim, he laid back on his elbows, looking down his own body and the man before him. Jim made no further moves for a moment; he simply... stared at him. It was slightly unnerving and Blair was about to say something when Jim moved forward and placed a gentle kiss on the head of his cock, gentler even than he'd started on Blair's lips. That shiver down the spine became a roaring flame that washed over him and left him a puddle of goo on the chair.

 

Blair fell back as Jim pushed him gently down onto the lounge chair. Blair bemusedly noted that Jim had still made sure Blair would be able to watch whatever he did to him. That was fine with Blair, he liked being able to see as Jim propped one of his legs up, moved in, and then with no further warning, took Blair's cock deep into his mouth. JerkedBlair helplessly upwards as the sensations from the man's throat muscles worked relentlessly on the head of his cock and a hand snuck down to tease at his balls. 'Jesus!' He'd had to close his eyes at the sight of the muscular man between his thighs, unprepared for how powerful the stimulus of having such a man servicing him would be.

  
  


Eyes closed, Blair allowed himself to bask in the sensations Jim was pulling from him effortlessly. The man knew what he was doing, no question about that. Then the hand that had been gently toying with his sack moved back further and stroked over the hidden rosebud there. A strangled cry escaped him at that, one that morphed into something much more guttural a few seconds later as a fingertip breeched the opening and he was pushed over the edge. Jim eagerly swallowed down everything he had to offer, the rhythmic contractions of his greedy throat extending Blair's orgasm a great deal.

 

Limply, Blair collapsed into a boneless sprawl. His strength was gone, totally and utterly, it had been sucked out of him through his dick. His head lolled back against the chair's back and he stared blankly up at the ceiling. Damn, he'd never felt anything like that before. Ever. It had been... earth shattering.

 

He somehow found the strength to lift his head again and meet Jim's eyes. The man smiled at him and Blair felt a wave of something pass between them, something that was more than the fantastic blow-job they had just shared. And whatever it was, it had felt *right*.

"Wow." Blair whispered.

 

Now Jim grinned, the expression in his eyes more than a bit smug. Yeah, Blair could see that, the man had rocked his world.

 

Before Blair could say anything else, he was again lifted and carried to the tub of steaming, bubbly water. The warm caress of the water rivaled the warm caress of Jim’s hands as he gently soaped and rinsed Blair’s body from head to toe. He wasn’t sure what to think when Jim washed his hair, but he felt humbled by the gesture. Time stood still for them here in this place and Blair was determined to enjoy every moment.

 

When Jim was obviously satisfied with the cleanliness of his subject, he stood and climbed out of the water, snagging a towel and wrapping it around his waist. He reached out a hand to Blair as he lounged in the warm water and Blair allowed himself to be led out, to be dried, robed and his hair wrapped into a towel. Then Jim took him back to the chaise lounge where they sat and Jim worked out each and every tangle from Blair’s long, curly hair. Murmured appreciations of the length, the smell, the texture of those strands washed over him as Jim took his time to not hurt a single part of Blair’s head.

 

Finally, after all of this, Blair thought that he could sleep happily, having been treated to what amounted to a two hour spa treatment. Well, a two hour spa treatment started out with one hell of an extra anyway. He didn't think blow-jobs, especially ones of that caliber, generally came with the treatment.

 

And Jim wasn't finished yet. He led Blair into the adjoining bedroom where a great canopy bed awaited him. The soft silk sheets slipped across his bare skin after Jim had taken his robe and gently urged him to lie down. Warm hands covered his back as his eyes drifted closed. From the scent surrounding him like a cloud, he could tell that warm lavender oil was being worked into his skin. The combination of the sweet scent, the relaxing warmth, and the soothing pattern being stroked onto his skin all conspired to lull Blair into a deep and dreamless sleep.

 

o-O-o

 

He woke to the smell of coffee, fresh and dark and rich. Sitting up in the large four poster bed, he blinked owlishly until his eyes focused on the mug that was being held out to him by a long fingered hand attached to a slim wrist. Following that back, he found an arm, a shoulder, a neck and finally the smiling face of Carolyn Plummer-Ellison. She grinned wider when he took the cup from her. “Thanks.”

 

“Anytime. I have actually been on the receiving end of one of Jim’s special nights. It can be quite an experience. Mind-numbing, if you will.” She chuckled as she stretched out in the bed with him. He tucked the sheets around him a bit and reached an arm out to cuddle her. Carolyn looked like a cuddler to him and he felt he was right when she drifted into place. “So, how was it?” she asked.

 

He laughed, “It was, gods, amazing. I’ve never had a night where I’ve been cherished. No one has ever been that... attentive to my every need before.”

 

Carolyn stroked a hand down his chest, skirting his nipples. She grinned up at him, “You know you could look forward to that, or a variation of it, every night of the week. It's yours for the having, if you only reach out and take it. Anything you want, need, before you ever even knew you wanted or needed it, Jim is that intuitive."

 

"Caro, I don't know..."

 

"What don't you know about? What is the downside?"

 

Blair shook his head, “I'm no one's boytoy - I can't be like that."

 

Carolyn snorted, “You think Alex is in this to be used? Hell, if she is, she’s using me just as much in return. It’s a relationship, Blair. That's how they work. And that's what Jim wants with you, a relationship. He can’t have it with me, we aren’t compatible - hell, we're the wrong genders for each other; I don't think you can get much more incompatible than that. But from what I saw last night, you and Jim are much more attuned to each other.” Blair snorted but she overrode his misgivings and went on, “At least give it a chance, give Jim a chance. He needs this. And he wants it with you.”

 

She climbed off the bed and headed for the door. “And who knows, maybe it’s what you need too.”

 

She left him then, and he was grateful. He had to really think long and hard about what he wanted. He had no home, no job, and no idea what to do next. He was still hurting from the callous way he had been treated by a man who he thought loved him. He was at a loss as to where his future lay.

 

And then he thought back to last night. He thought back to the way Alex had suckered him into coming here and having the best night of his life. It was all too... perfect. But maybe, just once this was where Blair could get back something he had lost. Himself.

  
  


Smiling as he finished his coffee and snuggled into the warm bed, he promised himself that he would play the cards as they lay. Take a chance. Let someone else take charge and deal the cards for a change so he could just sit back and play the game. He owed it to himself, he needed the rest, and maybe the luck of the draw would fall his way and he could end up having a whole lot of fun. Yeah, just once he was going to listen to his heart instead of his intellect and let himself enjoy this.

  
  


~end~


End file.
